Stepgates Community School: school finances
Tight
Holds £39k in reserve, under 3% of a year's income: little room for surprises.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Surrey · Primary · Community school.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £1.5m | £1.6m | -£10k | £90k | 256 |
2019-20 | £1.6m | £1.7m | -£101k | -£11k | 264 |
2020-21 | £1.7m | £1.6m | +£82k | £72k | 258 |
2021-22 | £1.7m | £1.7m | -£34k | £38k | 279 |
2022-23 | £1.8m | £1.8m | -£17k | £21k | 267 |
2023-24 | £1.9m | £2.0m | -£14k | £7k | 282 |
2024-25 | £2.1m | £2.1m | -£13k | -£5k | 262 |
2025-26 | £2.4m | £2.3m | +£44k | £39k | 268 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 primary schools outside London closest in size and in the share of pupils on free school meals. Its reserve, as a share of income, is higher than 27% of them. It spends £8,627 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,701.
This school Middle half of similar schools Similar schools’ median
Show the comparison as a table
| Spending per pupil | This school | Similar schools (median) | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
Teachers | £3,578 | £3,163 | £3,012–£3,439 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,243 | £1,523 | £1,129–£1,803 |
Supply staff | £37 | £102 | £39–£154 |
Admin and clerical | £524 | £301 | £213–£372 |
Premises | £476 | £342 | £282–£413 |
Energy | £205 | £116 | £83–£145 |
Learning resources & ICT | £436 | £297 | £210–£360 |
Bought-in services | £344 | £125 | £69–£233 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Gothic Mede Academy In deficit
- Trewirgie Infants' School Heading for deficit
- Balksbury Infant School Large reserves
- Haworth Primary School Healthy
- Scawthorpe Castle Hills Primary Academy Tight
- St Edmund's and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- All Saints Church of England Primary School, Sapcote Large reserves
- Dartington Church of England Academy Healthy
- Sholing Infant School Tight
- Washingborough Academy Healthy
- Tenacres First School Healthy
- Knypersley First School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.1m | £8,001 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £257k | £958 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £74k | £277 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £224k | £833 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF STEPGATES SCHOOL (charity 1146969, Registered) raised £10k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-09 | £10k | £8k |
2024-09 | £10k | £7k |
2023-09 | £13k | £12k |
2022-09 | £5k | £4k |
2021-09 | £4k | £4k |
Matched to this school by name and postcode from the Charity Commission register. Parent associations' money isn't in the school's accounts above.
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What would the school do if costs rose unexpectedly, such as energy or a pay award that isn't fully funded?
- Spending on bought-in services is £344 a pupil, against a typical £125 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £205 a pupil, against a typical £116 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £524 a pupil, against a typical £301 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £2,243 a pupil, against a typical £1,523 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £436 a pupil, against a typical £297 for similar schools. What's behind that?
Check these figures
Every figure here comes from the school's published return to the DfE. Check it on the DfE benchmarking page for this school, and see how the status is worked out.
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